Costa Concordia Legal Case

Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Lawyers

On Friday, January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a rock as it sailed too close to the Italian shoreline. The Concordia is owned by Genoa-based Costa Cruises whose parent corporation is Carnival Cruise Lines. The 114,000 ton ship tilted to the side and began to sink off the coast of Tuscany with 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members onboard.

As of Noon (EST) on January 23, 2012 it has been reported that there are 13 dead and 20 or more passengers and crew still missing.

Many more people have been injured during this tragedy and will likely be seeking the counsel of a cruise ship lawyer. Passengers do have rights in this type of situation and there is likely not anyone onboard who doesn’t have some type of legal recourse against Costa Cruises. Successful recovery against Costa will require the assistance of an experienced maritime attorney who is familiar with the ticket contract and how to get around the many obstacles it presents such as requiring passengers to bring their claim in Genoa, Italy, limiting the value of each cabin’s personal property and limiting the time within which they can bring their claim to one year versus the typical three years. Our cruise ship lawyers have successfully handled cases against Costa Crociere in both Genoa, Italy as well as in the United States. Presently we have cases pending against Costa in Italy.

Our maritime law firm offers the following time sensitive information for the Concordia’s affected passengers and their families:

Victims of the sinking of the Costa vessel have legal claims that can be brought against the vessel operator.

These claims will be governed in large measure by the wording of the passenger ticket, which usually includes a requirement of notice of claim within a short period of time, the filing of a lawsuit within a short period of time and the location where the lawsuit must be brought.

Typically, Costa requires suit be brought in Genoa, Italy, but there are certain exceptions that might allow for suit to be brought in Florida.

Victims and their families should immediately contact an experienced maritime lawyer, especially one who handles cruise line cases.

Factors to consider in choosing a cruise lawyer for the Costa Concordia disaster:

How many years does the lawyer and his or her firm have in suing cruise lines? At Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina and Winkleman P.A. the answer is combined experience in excess of 75 years

Has the firm ever sued Costa in the United States and in Italy? At Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina and Winkleman P.A. the answer is that we have sued Costa successfully in both the United States and Italy.

Has the firm done anything with respect to safety on cruise ships? At Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina and Winkleman P.A. the answer is that Charles Lipcon wrote “Unsafe On The High Seas” a guide to a safer cruise which is available at Amazon, Itunes, and Barnes and Noble in digital format. Also, Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman, P.A. have handled hundreds of injury cases which have directly involved cruise ship safety.

Our maritime lawyers are the go to resource for legal opinions regarding this cruise ship disaster. Our cruise ship lawyers have already been interviewed by: The Miami Herald, FOX NEWS, NBC Nightly News and Al Jazeera and more. We will be posting the interviews here:

* Disclaimer required by the Florida Bar: The numbers above are the gross recoveries, before deduction for attorneys fees and expenses. Most cases result in a lower recovery. It should not be assumed that your case will have as beneficial a result.